Mining apparatus



Oct. 26, 1937. T. E. PRAY MINING APPARATUS Filed June 22 1936 2Sheets-Sheet. l

Patented Oct.26, r 2,097,341

.UNI'TED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,097,341 MINING APPARATUS Thomas E. Pray,Chicago, 111., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111.,a corporation of Illinois Application June 22, 1936, Serial No. 86,546

13 Claims. (Cl. 262-12) This invention relates to improvements in min-View taken substantially along lines 44 of Figing apparatus and has asits principal objects to ure 3;

provide an expansible coal breaking device which Figure 5 is an enlargedfragmentary sectional is supported in a novel manner so that it may beView taken substantially along lines 5-5 of Fig- 5 inserted in orwithdrawn from, or may be posiure 3; 5 tioned at Various points along akerf in the coal Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional face bypower. view taken substantially along lines 65 of Fig- I-Ieretofore coalbreaking devices consisting of ure 3; a flexible expansible member havebeen used for Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional l0 breakingdown coal in mines, but these devices. view taken substantially alonglines 'Ii of Fig- 10 have been of a rather bulky construction, makingure 1 showing certain details of the means for it diilicult to insert orWithdraw them from the supporting and closing the ends of the coalbreakkerf, with the result that their practical applicaing member; and

tion has been limited. Another disadvantage of Figure 8 is adiagrammatic view showing the these devices is that the expansiblemember frefluid pressure circuit to the coal breaking member. 15

quently ruptures, particularly at the point where In the drawings theembodiment of my invenfiuid is admitted thereto, which causes the meanstion illustrated includes a track mounted truck It! for admitting fluidto the member to be torn having a turntable H at the forward end thereoftherefrom. This is caused by the fact that the which is provided with apair of parallel spaced go expansible member suddenly expands after thevertically extending guides l2, [2 which form an coal has been brokendown, due to the release adjustable support for an elevating frame It.

of pressure thereon from the outside and the Said elevating frame inturn is provided with continued application of pressure on the inside apair of parallel spaced support members It exand the fact that it hasnot heretofore been postending a substantial distance in advance of said5 sible to adequately secure the means for admittruck, which supportmembers form a supporting ting fluid under pressure to the expansiblememmeans for a flexible coal breaking member genber. erally indicated byreference character l5.

The device of my invention is so arranged as The truck I0 is of anordinary construction so to eliminate these difficulties, by adjustablywill not herein be showneor described in detail,

3-!) mounting the expansible member in advance of a and is provided witha propelling motor it (see self-propelled truck in a novel manner and byFigure 10). Said propelling motor serves as a providing an improvedmeans of a novel construcmeans for driving the supporting track wheelsof tion for admitting fluid under pressure to said exthe truck andmoving the truck along the track,

- pansible member which may be more adequately for inserting orwithdrawing the coal breaking I secured to said member than formerly,together member [5 from a kerf in the coal face 01 p p 35 with a meansfor limiting expansion of said memling said truck from working place toworking ber beyond a certain predetermined point. place by means of asuitable system of gearing not Other objects of my invention wi11 appearfrom herein shown or described since it is no portion time to time asthe following specification proof y present i v v Sa d motor a s p loceeds, vides a drive means for turning the turntable My invention may bemore clearly understood H through a Suitable ystem of gearing, whichwith reference t t accompanying drawings is not herein shown ordescribed since it is no wherein: portion of my present invention, forpositionmg Figure 1 is a top plan view of a coal breaking 2 22:; g sjg if 5:32:23 'vanous pomts m aratu i g s constructed m accordance Wlth my mThe elevating frame i3 is guided for vertical l h arallel s aced uidesl2, l2 Flgure 2 1S fragmentary slde elevation of the ii i a r i i i rgili l n own to t hose sliilled in the device shown in Figure l withparts broken away art, and is held in engagement therewith by reandshown m longltudma'l section; taming strips IT, IT secured to saidelevating 50' Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View frame bysuitable cap screws. A pair of parallel of the device shown in Figure 1with parts broken paced shafts I9, l9 are mounted on opposite aw y ashown in s al y h z l csides of said. elevating frame. Each of saidshafts tion; has a pair of spaced pinions 20, 20 mounted there- Figure 4is an enlarged fragmentary sectional on adjacent opposite ends thereofwhich mesh 55 with suitable racks extending upwardly along said parallelspaced guides.

The shafts I9, I 9 are driven from a transversely extending shaft 2| bymeans of worm and worm gear trains generally indicated by referencecharacters 22, 22. Said transversely extending shaft is selectivelydriven from a motor 23, mounted on said elevating frame, and extendingrearwardly therefrom, by meansof a motor pinion 24 which meshes with anddrives a spur gear 25 on a longitudinally extending shaft 26 (see Figure3). A helical gear 21 is keyed on said shaft intermediate the endsthereof and meshes with and drives a helical gear 28 keyed on a sleeve29 freely mounted on the transversely extending shaft 2|. Said sleeve isoperatively connected with said shaft by means of a suitable clutchmember 3| herein shown as being of the friction cone type. The worm andworm gear trains 22, 22 may be of the usual self locking type to holdsaid elevating frame in fixed relation with respect to the parallelspaced guides I2, I2 when the motor 23 is disconnected from thetransverse shaft 2|.

The support members I4, I4, as hereinshown,

are formed from angle irons having depending legs 34, 34 extending alongthe elevating frame I 3 and secured thereto at their rearward ends in asuitable manner. Said angles are of such a size that they may beinserted in a kerf in the mine wall and extend forwardly from said framein parallel relation with'respect to the truck. The forward ends of saidsupport members have the depending legs 34; 34 cut away to form arelatively fiat supporting strip, herein shown as chgaging'the upperside'of each outer end of a flexible bag'3 3 of the coal breaking memberI 5.

The flexible bag 33, as herein shown, is preferably made from a flathose or tube of a rubber and fabric material such as is commonly used inheavy duty'hoses of various types, and is so formed as to be relativelyflat when deflated, and

expansible to a substantially circular cross section adjacent the centerthereof when inflated. Said bag extends transversely of the supportmembers I4, I4 and its'ends are clamped together to prevent fluid underpressure from escaping therethrough. The means for clamping the ends ofsaid bag together consistof the flattened ends of said support memberswhich engage and are clamped against the upper sidesthereof, andclamping members 35, 35'engaging the lower sides thereof and engagedtherewith by means of suitable nuts and bolts 36, 36 extendingtherethrough and through the ends of said support members (see Figures3, 4 and 7).

The clamping members 35, 35, as herein shown, each include a portion 38adapted to be secured to the-under side of'the supporting member I4 in asuitable manner, which has a clamping strip 39 extending forwardly fromthe lower side there of. Said clamping-strip abuts and is secured to theunder side of the bag 33 by means of the nuts and bolts 35, 36 so as toform a means for closing said bag, which clamps said bag against thesupport members I4, I4 and forms a rigid support therefor.

'A manifold 40 is provided for admitting fluid under pressure to thebag33. As herein shown, said manifold comprises a" hollow member 42closed at its ends by closure members 43, 43. One side of said memberabuts an edge of the bag 33 and has a plurality of apertures"'extendingthrough its sideadjacent said bag. The edge of the bag'33 is likewiseprovided with a plurality of apertures adapted t'oregister forengagement with the apertures in the member 42. An inner engaging member44 is provided to engage the inside of said bag adjacent the member 43(see Figures 3 and Said inner engaging member is provided with aplurality of apertures therein adapted to register with the apertures inthe edge of said bag and the member 42. Suitable hollow cap screws 45,45 extending through said hollow member and bag are threaded within theapertures in the inner engaging member 44 to firmly clamp each of saidmembers to said bag. A port 46 is provided in each side of each of saidcap screws which communicates with the hollow portion thereof to admitfluid under pressure into the bag 33 from the manifold 43.

It should be noted with reference to Figure 3 that projecting walls 41,41, herein shown as being of an annular formation, surround eachaperture in the hollow member 42 and abut the bag 33. In a like mannerwalls 49, 49 surround each aperture in the inner engaging member 45 andproject from said inner engaging member and abut the inner side of saidbag. Thus, when the hollow member 42 and inner engaging member 44 areclamped to said bag, a fluid tight connection is provided from saidmanifold to said bag which firmly clamps said manifold to said bag andaids in preventing said manifold from being torn from said bag whensubjected to extremely high pressures.

Means are provided to prevent expansion of the bag 33 beyond its fullextent and thus prevent rupture thereof. As herein shown, said meansincludes a plurality of flexible chains 50, 50 encircling said bag forthe entire length thereof and connected together by suitable links 5I,5I. At the section where said manifold engages said bag, said chains areconnected to the upper and lower sides of said manifold by means ofsuitable rings 52, 52 secured to projections 53, 53 extending upwardlyand downwardly from said manifold, as is best shown in Figures 5 and 6.It may thus be seen that when the bag 33 is subjected to extremely highpressure from the outside, as when breaking down the coal, and thesepressures are suddenly released when the coal is broken down, that thechains 53, 59 prevent expansion of the bag beyond a predetermined point,due to the continued pressure inside of the bag, and also prevent themanifold 46 from being torn from said bag.

The fluid pressure connections to said bag include a pipe 55 threaded inthe manifold 40 and extending rearwardly therefrom, which leads from aport 55a of a four-way valve 56, illustrated diagrammatically in Figure8 and not herein shown or described in detail since it is no portion ofmy present invention. A pipe 51 leads from a port El-a of said four-wayvalve to the high pressure side of a suitable fluid pressure pump 58while another pipe 59 leads from another port 59a of said valve to thelow pressure side of said pump.

A fluid pressure storage tank 60 is provided on the elevating frame I3and a pipe 6| leads therefrom to a port 6Ia of the valve 56 to permitthe pump 58 to withdraw fluid from said tank and transmit it to the bag33 under pressure through the pipe 57, valve 56 and pipe 55. A

by-pass valve 62 is provided in the system and is connected between thetank 60 and a pump 58 to by-pass the fluid back into said tank throughthe pipe 5! when the valve 56 is turned in a position opposite from thatshown in Figure 8 and fluid pressure is released from the .bag 33.

The pump 58 is driven from the motor 23 by means of a spur gear 64 on aforward end of the longitudinal shaft 26 which meshes with and drives aspur gear 55 keyed on a sleeve 66, which sleeve is journaled in saidsupport frame. The sleeve 66 may be selectively connected with a shaft6'! for the pump 58, for driving said pump, by means of a suitable awclutch 69' shifted through a suitable system of links and levers in ausual manner (not shown).

It may be seen from the foregoing that when the valve 56 is in theposition shown in Figure 8, that fluid under pressure may be admitted tothe bag 33, and that when said bag is inserted in the kerf in the coalface, as shown in Figure '2, and pressure is admitted thereto, expansionof said bag will exert pressure against the coal to readily break itdown.

It will now be seen that a new and improved mobile coal breaking unit ofa novel construction has been provided which is insertible in a kerf cutin the coal face for breaking down the coal by fluid under pressure,which unit is so arranged as to be readily transportable from place toplace and which may be inserted or withdrawn from kerf by power, andwhich is also adjustable so that it may be positioned at various pointsalong the kerf or may be inserted in kerfs of varying heights.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my inventionmay be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof andthe arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to beconstrued as limiting myself to the specific embodiment illustrated,excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a coal breaking apparatus, a fluid pressure coal breaking memberwhich is substantially fiat when in a deflated condition, means on oneedge of said member adapted to admit fluid under pressure thereto, andmeans engaging the ends of said member for supporting said member andinserting it into or withdrawing it from a kerf in the coal face, saidmeans also forming a clamping means for closing the ends of said member.

2. In a coal breaking apparatus, a fluid pressure coal breaking memberwhich is substantially flat when in a deflated condition, means on oneedge of said member adapted to admit fluid under pressure thereto, andmeans having supporting engagement with the ends of said member, saidmeans also forming a clamping means for closing the ends of said memberand extending from a movable self-propelled truck for inserting orwithdrawing said breaking member from the kerf by power.

3. In a coal breaking apparatus, a fluid pressure coal breaking memberwhich is substantially flat when in a deflated condition, means on oneedge of said member adapted toadmit fluid under pressure thereto, andmeans having supporting engagement with the ends of said member, saidmeans also forming a clamping means for closing the ends of said memberand being supported for lateral and vertical adjustment and extendingfrom a movable self-propelled truck for inserting said breaking memberin a kerf at various positions therealong.

4. In a coal breaking apparatus, a truck, a fluid pressure coal breakingmember which is substantially flat when in a deflated condition, meanson one edge of said coal breaking member intermediate the ends thereoffor admitting fluid under pressure thereto, a pair of supporting membersfor said breaking member extending from said truck and mounted formovement with respect thereto in both horizontal and Vertical planes,and supporting connections between the ends of said supporting membersand opposite ends of said breaking member.

5. In a mining apparatus, the combination with a movable supportingbase, a fluid pressure coal breaking member including a relatively flathollow bag having opposed flexible walls adapted to be inserted in akerf in a coal face, and a supporting connection between said base andsaid member whereby said member may readily be inserted or withdrawnfrom the kerf or may be positioned at various points along the kerfcomprising a turntable on said base, and a frame mounted on saidturntable having supporting members projecting therefrom havingsupporting engagement with the ends of said bag.

6. In a mining apparatus, the combination with a movable supportingbase, a coal breaking member including a relatively'flat hollow baghaving opposed flexible walls adapted to be inserted in a kerf in thecoal face forbreaking down the coal upon expansion of said member,

and a supporting connection between said mem-' her and said base wherebysaid member may readily be inserted or withdrawn from the kerf or may bepositioned at various points along the coal face comprising a turntableon said base, and a frame mounted on said turntable having supportingmembers projecting therefrom having supporting engagement with andforming a closure means for the ends of said bag.

7. In a mining apparatus, the combination with a movable supportingbase, a coal breaking member including a relatively flat hollow baghaving opposed flexible walls adapted to be inserted in a kerf in a coalface for breaking down the coal upon expansion of said member, and asupporting connection between said member and said base whereby saidmember may readily be inserted or Withdrawn from the kerf or may bepositioned at various points along .the coal face comprising a turntableon said base, a frame mounted on said turntable for vertical movementwith respect thereto, and supporting members projecting forwardly fromsaid frame having supporting engagement with and forming a'closure meansfor the ends of said bag.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a truck, fluid pressure coalbreaking means disposed in advance thereof, and a supporting connectionbetween said truck and coal breaking means for readily inserting orwithdrawing said breaking means from a kerf in the coal face comprisinga turntable on said truck, a frame on said turntable mounted forvertical movement with respect thereto, a motor on said frame, a. fluidpressure pump on said frame, a connection between said pump and coalbreaking means for conducting fluid under pressure to said breakingmeans, a drive connection from said motor for elevating said frame withrespect to said truck, another drive connection from said motor fordriving said pump, and projecting supporting members extending from saidframe having supporting engagement with said coal breaking means.

9. In a coal breaking apparatus, a flexible coal breaking member havingflexible side walls which are substantially flat when in a deflatedcondition but which may be expanded to a relatively circular formation,and a fluid tight connection on one edge of said flexible breakingmember adapted to admit fluid under pressure thereto comprising an innermember having a plurality of openings therein adapted to register foren'- gagement with corresponding openings in said flexible member, aprojecting wall surrounding each open portion of said inner member,-said walls being adapted to engage said flexible member and surround theopen portion thereof, a manifold on the outer edge of said coal breakingmember having a plurality of openings therein adapted to register withsaid flrst-mentioned openings, a projecting wall surrounding each openportion of said manifold and adapted to abut said flexible member, andmeans for scour-- ing said manifold and member together to engage saidwalls with said flexible member, said means also forming a means foradmitting fluid under pressure to said flexible member.

10. In a coal breaking apparatus, a fluid pressure coal breaking memberhaving flexible side Walls which are substantially flat when in adeflated condition but which may be expanded to a relatively circularformation, and means on one edge of said member adapted to admit fluidunder pressure thereto comprising an inner engaging member engaging theinside of said edge of said bag and having a plurality of openingstherein adapted to register for engagement with corresponding openportions in said flexible member, a projecting wall surrounding eachopen portion of said inner member and adapted to engage said flexiblemember and surround the open portion thereof, a manifold on the outeredge of said coal breaking member having a plurality of openings thereinadapted to register with said first-mentioned open portions, an annularwall surrounding each open portion of said manifold and adapted to abutsaid flexible member, and means for securing said manifold and membertogether to engage said walls with said flexible member comprising boltshaving ports therein leading from said manifold to the inside of saidbreaking -member.

11. In a coal breaking apparatus, a flexible coal breaking member havingflexible side walls which are substantially flat when in a deflatedcondition but which may be expanded to a relatively circular formation,and means on one edge of said member adapted to admit fluid underpressure thereto comprising an inner member engaging the inside of saidedge of said bag and having a plurality of openings therein adapted toregister for engagement with corresponding openings in said flexiblemember, a projecting Wall surrounding each open portion of said innermember and adapted to engage said flexible member and surround the openportion thereof, a manifold on the outer edge of said coal breakingmember having a plurality of openings therein adapted to register withsaid open portion in said bag, an annular wall surrounding each of saidopen portions and adapted to abut said flexible member, and means forsecuring said manifold and member together to engage said walls withsaid flexible member comprising bolts having ports therein leading fromsaid manifold to the inside of said breaking member and being threadedwithin the openings in said inner member.

12. In a coal breaking apparatus, a coal breaking member havingexpansible side walls which are substantially flat when in a deflatedcondition, means on one edge of said member for the admission of fluidunder pressure thereto comprising a member on the inner side of saidcoal breaking member having a plurality of openings therein and havingan annular projection encircling each of said openings and adapted toabut the inside of said coal breaking member and encircle correspondingopenings in said member, a manifold on the outer side of said coalbreaking member having openings therein with annular projectionsencircling the same and adapted to be positioned in alignment with saidfirst-mentioned openings, and means for securing said member andmanifold to the edge of said breaking member comprising bolts extendingthrough said openings in said manifolds and being threaded in said innermember, said bolts having ports therein to admit fluid under pressure tosaid breaking member from said manifold and being adapted to clamp saidannular projection to said flexible edge of said breaking member.

13. In a coal breaking apparatus, a fluid pressure coal breaking memberhaving flexible side Walls which are substantially flat when in adeflated condition but which may be expanded to a relatively circularformation, and means on one edge of said member adapted to admit fluidunder pressure thereto comprising an inner member having a plurality ofopenings therein adapted to register for engagement with correspondingopenings in said flexible member, a projecting wall surrounding eachopening of said inner member and adapted to engage said flexible memberand surround the open portions thereof, a manifold on the outer edge ofsaid coal breaking member having a plurality of openings therein adaptedto register with said first-mentioned openings, an annular wallsurrounding each of said openings and adapted to abut said flexiblemember, means for securing said manifold and member together andengaging said annular walls with said flexible member, and means toprevent pressure in said breaking member from tearing said inner memberand manifold therefrom comprising inelastic flexible members secured tosaid manifold and encircling said breaker member to limit expansionthereof beyond a predetermined point.

THOMAS E. PRAY.

